Cambodia to take border dispute to ICJ despite talks with Thailand

Thai and Cambodian officials met on Saturday to try to ease tensions amid fears of military clashes after a long-running territorial dispute reignited, leading both countries to mobilize troops on the border.

The two neighbors share an 820-kilometer land border, parts of which are undemarcated and include ancient temples that both sides have contested for decades. The latest standoff followed a brief skirmish on May 28 that left a Cambodian soldier dead.

Cambodia is determined to file a case at the International Court of Justice to determine jurisdiction over four disputed areas, while Thailand insists on a bilateral solution.

"I would like to reconfirm to my compatriots that even if the Thai side refuses or remains silent, Cambodia will proceed it unilaterally," Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said on Friday. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation will send an official letter to the ICJ on Sunday, June 15, 2025, regarding the disputes in these four areas."

He said the four sensitive border areas are Mom Bei, Ta Moan Thom Temple, Ta Moan Tauch Temple and Ta Krabei Temple.

"The Thai government hopes to use the platform to resolve the situation peacefully," Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra posted about the meeting on her Facebook page on Friday.

A resolution this weekend at the Joint Boundary Commission meeting in Phnom Penh is not expected, and it was unclear when the outcome would be announced.

(With input from Reuters, Xinhua)